The NHL All-Star Skills Competition is a showcase for players at the top of their game to demonstrate a variety of skills. The 2020 competition took place Friday, January 24 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The competition started off with the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater. Connor McDavid, 3-time defending champion of this event, hoped to secure yet another win coming onto the ice.
In the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater event, each skater:
- Must complete 1 full lap around the rink
- May start a maximum of 3 feet behind start line
- May choose direction of their lap
- Timing device starts when skater crosses start line
- If there is a tie for fastest time, those players will skate again to determine winner
Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers, held the top spot with 13.509 seconds followed by several players coming just shy. Unfortunately for Kreider, he wasn’t able to hold his lead.
Despite telling reporters that he hadn’t really prepared for the event, 22-year old Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders, skated a 13.175, beating 3-time fastest skater, Connor McDavid’s 13.215 seconds, securing the win.
“You don’t, you just don’t go skate laps around!”
Mathew Barzal
His 13.175 win also beat his previous year’s time of 13.780 seconds, which granted him 3rd place.
Barzal did say that he probably benefited from McDavid’s recent bye, meaning Barzal was a bit more fresh on the ice than McDavid. Regardless, Barzal still took home the win, toppling McDavid’s 3-year reign.
McDavid showed true sportsmanship congratulating the new winner.
“He flies,” McDavid said. “He skates like the wind and he’s got real good hands.”
Barzal also gave credit to McDavid, declaring him the league’s best skater.
Take a look at the final times of the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater:
- Barzal – 13.175
- McDavid – 13.215
- Kreider – 13.509
- Eichel – 13.540
- MacKinnon – 13.895
- Duclair – 14.005
- Konecny – 14.113
- Hughes – 14.263
And once more at Barzal’s incredible speed!
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https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/seeing-stars/c-314316842
https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/barzal-wins-fastest-skater-competition/c-314272632
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